Automatic packaging machine



R. E. READ AUTOMATIC PACKAGING MACHINE Aug. 25, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26, 1948 INVENTOR. miwzmw AffaPA/[y Aug. 25, 1953 R, E, READ 2,650,058

AUTOMATIC PACKAGING MACHINE Filed June 26, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Va 112 1 IN VEN TOR.

Aug. 25, 1953 Filed June 26,, 1948 R. E. READ 2,650,058

AUTOMATIC PACKAING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

way/1 [M9 Aug. 25, 1953 READ 2,650,058

AUTOMATIC PACKAGING MACHINE Filed June 26, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mm awn? 1 I 6% INVENTOR. I @235? E 5540 Patented Aug. 25, 1953 AUTOMATIC PACKAGING MACHINE Robert E. Read, Glens Falls, N. Y., assignor to Union Bag & Paper Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 26, 1948, Serial No. 35,326

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in packaging machine. More particularly it pertains to a machine for automatically weighing and filling bags with fibrous materials such as rockwool, asbestos, beet sugar pulp, and the like.

Heretofore, the weighing and filling of bags with such materials has been a slow, dusty and expensive manual operation, hazardous to employees. A workman, holdin the bag under a discharge chute, was required constantly to jolt, tamp and force the material into the bag by hand, since such materials are of low density and difficult to compress. It was then required that additional help hand-weigh and level the filled bag to prevent overor under-weights. It was never practical to sufficiently compress the material into the bag with the result that larger bags than necessary were required with the manual procedure.

The present invention provides a packaging machine which completely eliminates the disadvantages and inconveniences of the prior procedure. With the present machine the operator merely presses a foot switch which collapses a duckbill and permits him to slip a bag over it. Removal of his foot from the switch causes the bag to be held securely to the duckbill. The bag is then automatically filled and weighed and the material is compressed into the bag. The

operator again presses the foot switch and the filled bag drops 01f the duckbill allowing a new bag to be placed thereon. The filled bag is then conveyed in an upright position to a sewing machine.

A general object of the present invention-is to provide a packaging machine which will automatically weigh, convey into a bag, and compress fibrous or like materials, and deliver from the end of the machine a neat and compact package.

More specifically it is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine having a delivery hopper, a diverter for alternately feeding and diverting the product being packaged, a moving conveyor, a bag hopper and duckbill, a scale beam mechanism supporting the conveyor, hopper and duckbill and a ram cooperating with the bag hopper and duckbill to compress into the bag the product being pack-aged.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a packaging machine having incorporated therein a jet of fluid which Will divert into an exhaust manifold, after the bag has been filled with the desired weight, any additional material which may be falling from the diverter, thus insuring more accuracy in weight.

It is another object of the invention to provide a packaging machine having incorporated therein a safety device which automatically diverts the fiow of material from the duckbill when no bag may be held thereon or when such bag may be torn.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a packaging machine which is sturdy and durable of construction and well suited to operate in a practical and efiicient manner.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaging machine illustrative of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a part section, part diagrammatic view of the machine shown in Figure 1, having certain parts broken away or not shown for reasons of clarity;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the duckbill adjusting mechanism;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the air jets;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the safety device; and

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram of the electrical connections.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a frame ID on which is mounted a delivery manifold I I, which consists of a hopper I2 and two diverging ducts l3 and I4. Set in the manifold I l is a diverter made up of a blade l5 attached to a shaft l6 rotatably mounted in the manifold and held in position by collars I1. On the end of this shaft is a clamp block l8 adjustably engaging a diverter arm I9 which is held by friction in the clamp block. The diverter arm is pivotally attached by a clevis mount 20 to an air cylinder 2| secured to the manifold by a bracket 22 and a clevis mount 23.

Suspended from each side of the frame is a scale mechanism 24 which carries a weigh frame 25. The scale mechanism is of conventional design and consists of fulcrum suspension rods 26 having one end secured to the frame by nuts 27 and the other end engaging twisters 28 mounted belt 41.

on shafts 29. From these twisters are hung load suspension rods 35! which carry the weigh frame 25. On the ends of these shafts 29 are main levers 3| which are joined together by a link 32. At the ends of the main levers is a tie rod 33 joined to a beam 34 by a clevis mount 35. This beam is suspended from the frame by a clevis mount and. tie. rod, securedby nut 31. At the end of this beam a clevis mount 38 engages a steelyard 352 which is joined to a weigh head 40 secured to the frame. This weigh head is also of conventional design and serves asan indicator of the weight of the product being packaged.

Secured to the weigh .frame'are pillow'blocks 4| through which is journalled a shaftmlZ carrying a conveyor pulley l3. .Also...secured to .the frame are take-up bearings 44 holding a shaft 45 also carrying a similar pulley it. Around these pulleys is an endless conveyor belt 41. Also mounted to the weigh frame 25 are brackets 58 inwhich are carried a shaft 69 and a conveyor pulley'50 which serves to support the conveyor On-the end of the shaft. 32 is a sheave .which is. driven by a gearhead motor. 52 through the belt 53. This motor is likewise secured .tothe weigh frame by means of a base 54 bywhich-the tensionv on the belt can be adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 55 and nuts 55. ..Affixed to the weigh frame 25 are angle; .irons 5-! which are in turn secured to a hopper 5.8 atthe end of which is a .duckbill 59. This .duckbill is made up. of a stationary jaw 60 and .a movable jaw 6 I.

The duckbill may be adjusted for bags ofdif-i .ferent size by means of' the duckbill. adjusting mechanism, more fullyshown in Figure 3.

This mechanism consists of a bar 62 with a plate 63 welded or otherwise secured to it. 1 The plate 63 is in turn held by screws Mto filler plates 65 afiixed to the hopper 58. Attached to each end of the bar'62are U-shaped members 56, holding adjusting screwsfi'l, which carry bearing blocks 68 and engage threads in said blocks. "These bearing blocks support a shaft 69 secured to the moveable jaw 6! of the duckbill. At the ends of theadjustingscrews' 6'! aremiter gears it which engage miter gears ll on a shaft 12. At one end of this shaft is a hand wheel 13 for rotating the shaft and at theother end is a locking nut '14 for securing the shaft against rotation. Covering each U-shaped member are plates which position the bearings and providesu-pport for the shaft. Secured at the end of the shaft 69 is an arm 16 which is pivotally joined by a clevis mount 1'! to an air cylinder 78 attached to the hopper by means of the bracket 19 and clevis mount 80 as shown in'Figure 1.

Y Perforated rubber sheets 8! may be secured to the four corners of the duckbill to hold the bag more'firmly and prevent it from slipping off the duckbill. A felt 82, shown in Figure 2, is mounted on the hopper by screws 83 and serves as a wiper blade' against-the conveyor belt. Over the conveyor belt isa cover 84 suitably fastened to the hopper-and the weigh frame. A window 35 maybe provided in the hopper so that the flow of. the material in the hopper may be observed.

Secured to the frame H) above the hopper 53 is an air cylinder'flfi, the piston rod of which.

carries a ram 8! which fits inside the hopper 58 with sufiicient clearance to prevent its binding in its movement in the hopper. Also secured to the frame and in-parallel'relationship to the air cylinder are tubes 88 into which slide rods 89 closures are used to seal such ends against the escape. of .air..

This mechanism has nozzles 94,

- mounted on Ts 95, a T 96 provided with bushings 91, and nipples 98 for joining the same together.

.The air is fed into the mechanism through the TI 96.

This air jet mechanism is positioned at thebase and front end of the duct 13, as shown in Figure 2, and is adapted when the air is turned on to, blow a stream of air which will sever the falling column and divert any product in the duct across and intoian exhaust manifold 99 and away from the conveyor belt. This exhaust I manifold is attached to the delivery :manifold and the frame and can be providedwith suitable means to recirculate the materialandeventually carry itv back into the top of the deliverymanifold. This air jetmechanism aifords a method of severing a falling column and obtaining an accuracy of Weight which has vnotbeen heretofore possible with other machines packaging'such materials. Although the machine'illustrated employs an air jet for the cut-off, it will be understood that it also is possible withcertain materials to use steam, water, or variousother liquids or gases, all of which are. referred to in theappended claims as fluid.

To preventthe flow of.the-productthrough the duckbill at such time when no bag. may be held thereon or when such bagmay betorn, a safety device [00 is. secured to the stationary jaw of the .duckbill. This safety. device, as shown in Figure 5, consists of a strip of spring .steel. [0| anchored at its lower end in a bracket IUZsecured tow the duckbill. This spring steel iscurved .out-

- ward (see Figure 2) and slides in a.slot in a plate Hi3 held to the duck'bill by screws N14." The end of this spring steel is so adapted that pressure .on its curved portion will cause the end of the spring steel to press against a. button I05 of a switch H36 (LS#5-eFig. 6') mounted on" the duckbill by screws 107. A suitable cover plate W8 is placed over the switch and held by screws The machine of the present invention is provided with various switches, the location and operation of which will be discussed in connection with the wiring diagram of Figurefi and the operation of the machine during a packaging cycle. In the machine illustrated the material to be packaged is fed continuously into thehopper [2 of the delivery manifold and is alternately fed to duct l3 or M by the diverter [5. The

. units associated with each duct for weighing, filling, cutting off the feed and compressing are exactly the same in all respects. Although two units are shown in the machine illustrated in the drawings it will be understood. that there may bill jaw BI to collapse so that a bag can be placed in position on the duckbill. When the foot switch is released, the cylinder returns to its normal position, as shown in Figure 2, and holds the bag securely in place.

It has been found practical to adjust the dial indicator on the weigh head 40 so that it will initially show the weight desired in the bag. Then as the material flows to the conveyor, hopper and bag this indicator will move toward 0 and when the required amount is reached will read 0. A switch set in the weigh head at the 0 point is actuated by the indicator. By this arrangement it requires only a simple change of counterweights in the scale mechanism to set the scale for any weight desired and eliminates the necessity of moving the scale switch for every different weight.

The cycle of operation of the machine will be more clearly understood by referring to the wiring diagram of Figure 6. In this Wiring diagram the electrical units associated with the left unit (duct I3) will be referred to as #I and those associated with the right unit (duct I4) will be referred to as #2. Before describing the electrical system in detail, a brief general description of the system operation through one cycle will be iven:

1. Closing main switch turns on air jet on open side of diverter.

2. Pressing the foot switches I I I to collapse the duck bill jaws permits placing bags on the duck bills, thereby turning off the air jet on open side of diverter.

3. Pushing Start button turns on both belt conveyors.

4. Normal starting position when current is turned on is:

(a) Diverter sending material to conveyor of #I unit (2)) Both rams up (0) Both duck bills open (bags in place).

5. When desired amount of material has accumulated on conveyor and in hopper and bag of #I unit, the scale indicator closes the scale switch, actuating diverter and throwing feed over to #2 unit. This causes #I air jet to go on and I timer to start.

6. When timer for #I unit has passed set time (a) air jet goes off (2)) #I ram compresses material in bag.

7. Bag is released from duck bill for #I unit and new bag put on which re-cycles the #I controls.

8. When conveyor, hopper and bag on #2 unit hold desired amount of material (a) Diverter is thrown over to I unit (b) #2 air jet goes on (c) #2 timer starts.

9. After timer for #2 unit has passed set time (a) #2 air jet is turned 01f (b) #2 ram compresses material in bag.

10. After #2 ram has completed cycle, bag is released from duck bill for #2 unit and new one put on. This completes the cycle.

Referring further to Figure 6, it will be noted that the conveyor motors are provided with motor starters MCA and MCB and with overload protectors OLAI, OLAZ, OLBI and OLB2. In addition there are provided various control relays which are made up of solenoids designated by RC- in a circle, which solenoids energize and actuate relay contacts designated by RC. It will be further noted that some of these relay contacts are normally open while others are normally closed. The operation of such control relays Will be clear from the detailed description of the electrical system operation which follows:

1. With the main switch and the motor switches closed the system is energized. Thus the normally closed contacts of relay RC2 energize air jet #I valve solenoid turning air into the jets (92--Fig. 1) on #I unit. The normally closed contacts of relay RC3 would energize air jet #2 valve solenoid except that circuit is broken by limit switch LS#2, which is the switch for duct I4 (Fig. 1) actuated by the diverter arm. Foot switches SW#| and SW#2 (IIIFig. 1) are direct connected to duck bill valve solenoids which, when energized, actuate the air cylinders on the duck bills and permit bags to be slipped on. Start button on system control energizes motor starters MCA and MCB and starts belt conveyors. With bags in place the normal start is made and all relays and circuits are de-energized, except relays RC2 and RC3 which are energized, cutting out air jet circuits.

2. When desired amount of material has caused the scale indicator on the weigh head (4I)-Fig. 1) associated with unit #I to go to 0 point, scale switch SW#I closes, energizing relay RC I 2. The single contact of RCI2 closes, thus energizing relay RC5. RC5 has an overlap, one normally open contact closing and holding relay and one normally closed contact opening and breaking circuit to R012. This also completes circuit to and starts timer T-I working.

(a) One normally open contact of RC5 closes and energizes RCI4, one contact of which closes and holds RCI 4, the other contact closes and energizes solenoid of diverter valve. This actuates the air cylinder (2IFig. l) and diverter closes material flow to conveyor of #I unit and starts flow to conveyor of #2 unit.

(2)) Another normally open contact of RC5 closes and completes circuit to air jet #I solenoid causing #I air jet to go on. The remaining normally open contact of RC5 closes and completes circuit to air jet #2 solenoid causing #2 air jet to go on unless there is a bag in place on #2 duck bill. With bag in place the bag control limit switch LS#6 closes, energizin? relay RC3 and breaking circuit to #2 air e 3. When timer T-I has passed set time a clutch throws over and relay RC8 is energized. One normally closed contact is opened and air jet shuts oil. One normally open contact closes, completing circuit to ram #I valve solenoid which, when energized, actuates the air cylinder (86-Fig. 1) and causes the ram (8'IFig. 1) to come down, compressing material into the correct and predetermined level in the bag. The ram rod (89Fig. 2) strikes and closes limit switch LS#3 (I I2-Fig. 2) at bottom of stroke, thus energizing relay RC9. One normally open contact closes and keeps it energized and one normally closed contact opens, which de-energizes ram solenoid and ram returns to top of stroke.

4. Filled bag is released from duck bill by stepping on foot switch SW#I which energizes duck bill #I valve solenoid collapsing duck bill. Stepping on foot switch SW#I also energizes relay closes, energizing'relay RCIS. tact of RCiB closes, energizing relay RC4). RC4

'RCBrwhose. normally closed contact opens,- which "breaks circuit to and de-energizes RC5, RC8 and Releasing bag from duck bill also opens bag. control. limit switch LS#5 (lU6Fig. 5) de- When new :bag is put on duck bill 5. When desired amount of materia1 has caused scale indicator on the weigh head associated with #2 unit to go to the point, scale switch SW#2 The single conhasian overlap, one normally open contact closing and holding relay and one normally closed contact opening and breaking circuit to RCI3. This also completes circuit to and starts timer T-Z working.

(alone normally closed contact of RC4 opens and breaks circuit to relay ROM cleenergizing 'diverter valve solenoid and causing diverter to stop flow of material to conveyor associated with #2 unit and start flow to conveyor of unit;

(1)) Another contact of RCA, normally open,

closes and completes circuit to air jet #2 solenoid causin #2 air jet to go on. The remaining normally open contact of RC5 closes and air jet goes on unless there is a bag in place on #I duck bill. With bag in place the limit switch LS#5 (l96Fig. 5) closes, energizing relay RC2 and breaking circuit to #i air jet.

1 One normally closed contact is opened, which deenergizes ram solenoid and ram returns to top of stroke.

'7. Filled bag is released from duck bill by step- J ping on'foot switch SW#2 which energizes duck bill #2 valve solenoid collapsingduck bill. Stepzping on foot switch SW#2 also'energizes relay RC1 whose normally closed contact opens, which breaks circuit to and de-energizes RCM, RCII and RCIU. Releasing bag from duck bill also opens limit switch LS#6 de-energizing relay RC3, which closes contacts, partially making circuit to air jet #2 solenoid. Stepping on foot switch SW#2 thus cycles-right side of machine. When new bag is puton duck bill and foot switch re- -leased, relay RC7 is de-energized. Bag closes limit switch LS#6 energizing relay RC3 which partially closes circuit to' air jet #2 solenoid.

The cycle is thus complete and system is in same condition as at start of cycle.

This machine and the electrical system associated with it are so designed as to provide Various safety features in the operation. For example,

if material is delivered to either conveyor and a bag is' not in position to receive it, the bag control safety device (shown in Fig. 5) secured to the stationary jaw of the duck bill turns on the air jet on that particular unit of the machine which blows the material away from the conveyorandinto exhaust manifold (SS-Fig. 2).

" T Furthermore, if atany time .a bag receiving material should split or tear and fall off the duck bill, this-safety device would operate in the. same manner to prevent further-flow of the'material. Likewise, if the divertershould-jam orufail to move the air jet-would go on and prevent further flow of material.

As heretofore pointed out, the machine of the present inventioncompressesthe material to a predetermined level or load line in the bag, thereby permitting-the use of a bag of a size merely .suiiicient to hold: the material after it .has been compressed. .Howeverg. prior to compression-the predetermined amount :ofmaterial-will .not fit into thebag. and it is'necessary to providea-reservoirabove the predetermined level or loadline of the bag. This is. accomplished, as will be noted in Figures 1 and 2, by making the hopper. 58 of suflicient length to hold :above the bag-all the materialwhich will not-fit into the bag. The

packaging of loose rockwool will serve-as an i1- lustration. It iscustomary in that industry to package 40 lbs. of such material in a'bag.- When this amount has :been'run through the machine of the-present invention, but has not been compressed, approximately to 60% of the material fits in the bag; up to.the predetermined level or load line of the bag and the remaining 50 to 40% is held by the hopper and du-ckbill above the load line. The ram then compresses-.alL-the' material into the bag below the load line. :Fondifferent materials and evenq'diiferentytypes of rockwool theamount of .material which thebag will hold before compression will vary, but in every'case i. the hopper must'be' of-sufficientlength to receive a substantial quantity of the materialvwhich is tobe compressed-within the bag. 'Theminimum length of the hopper can be simplyz'determined by measuring the column of material which. re-

mainsa'bove the load line of the bag when the predetermined weight has been reachedbutthe material. has notyet been compressed. To. assure sufiicientcapacity in the hopper the min- ..ximum'rlengthof the hopper-"should be at least one:- half." as .long. as the :distance from. the load cline to.:thebottom of the'bag. O f course the ""hopper'can 'be made longer than-necessary to accommodate the excess for all'types of material.

It will be understood that the term -bags "where usecl -in the specification and claims includes cartons, containers and other receptacles suitable for packaging material'referred to.

Although the machine of the present invention is especially useful and satisfactory and has distinct advantages over other machines in the packaging of fibrousmaterials suchasrockwool and the like, it will be understood that the machine may also be very 'efliciently used in the packagshown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed and all features of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A packaging machine for filling bag comprising bag holding means, a conveyor positioned to discharge material into a bag on the bag holding means, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, holding means and bag, means for feeding material to the conveyor, means controlled by the scale in response to said predetermined weight for cutting off the feed to the conveyor, a jet mechanism positioned adjacent the column of material falling to the conveyor and adapted to direct a stream of fluid under pressure against the falling column for severing said column and preventing the material from reaching the conveyor, a switch-controlling tension member mounted on the bag holding means and cooperating with the bag on the holding means, a switch actuated by the bag against the tension member, and means controlled by the switch for turning on the jet mechanism and severing the feed to the conveyor if no bag or a defective bag is on the holding means.

2. A packaging machine for filling bags with a predetermined weight of compressible material compressed to a predetermined load line in the ba comprising a conveyor, a hopper positioned to receive material from the conveyor, said hopper having a length at least one-half as long as the distance from the predetermined load line to the bottom of the bag to serve as a reservoir for excess material above the load line of the bag prior to compression, a duckbill secured to the hopper to support the bag on the hopper, a Weighing scale carrying the conveyor, hopper, duckbill and bag, a duct for feeding the material to the conveyor, a ram cooperating with the hopper to compress the material into the bag, and means controlled by the scale in response to a predetermined weight for cutting off the feed to the conveyor and actuating the ram.

3. A packaging machine for filling bags with a predetermined weight of compressible material compressed to a predetermined load line in the bag comprising a hopper for feeding material into the bag, a bag holder to hold the bag on the hopper, a conveyor positioned to discharge material into the hopper, said hopper having a length at least one-half as long as the distance from the predetermined load line to the bottom of the bag to serve as a reservoir for excess material above the load line of the bag prior to compression, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, hopper, holder and bag, means for feeding the material to the conveyor, a ram cooperating with the hopper to compress the material into the bag, and means controlled by the scale in response to a predetermined weight for cutting off the feed to the conveyor and actuating the ram.

4. A packaging machine for filling bags with a predetermined weight of compressible material compressed to a predetermined load line in the bag comprising a hopper for feeding material into the bag, a bag holder to hold the bag on the hopper, a conveyor positioned to discharge material into the hopper, said hopper having a length at least one-half as long as the distance from the predetermined load line to the bottom of the bag to serve as a reservoir for excess material above the load line of the bag prior to compression, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, hopper, holder and bag, means for feeding the material to the conveyor, means for com- 10 pressing the material into the bag, and means controlled by the scale in response to a predetermined weightfor cutting off the feedto the conveyor and actuating the compressing means.

5. A packaging. machine for filling bags with a predetermined weight of compressible material compressed to a predetermined load line in the bag, comprising a belt conveyor, a hopper positioned to receive material from the conveyor, said hopper having a length at least one-half as long as the distance from the predetermined load line to the bottom of the bag to serve as a reservoir for excess material above the load line of the bag prior to compression, a .bag holder to hold the bag on the hopper, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, hopper, holder and bag, a duct for feeding the material to the conveyor, means for compressing the material into the bag, and means controlled by the scale in response to a predetermined Weighti'or cutting off the feed to the conveyor.

6. A packaging machine for filling bags, comprising bag holding means, a conveyor positioned to discharge material into the bag on the bag holding means, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, holding means and bag, means for feeding material by gravity to the conveyor, a jet mechanismpositioned adjacent the column of material falling to the conveyor and adapted to direct a stream of fluid, under pressure against the falling column for severing said column and preventing all material over a predetermined weight from reaching the conveyor, and means controlled by the scale in response to said predetermined weight for cutting off the feed to the conveyor and turning on the jet mechanism.

7. A packaging machine for filling bags, comprising bag holding means, a hopper for feeding material into the bag on the bag holding means, a conveyor positioned to dicharge material into the hopper, a Weighing scale for carrying the conveyor, hopper, holding means and bag, means for feeding material by gravity to the conveyor, means positioned adjacent the column of material falling to the conveyor for severing said column and preventing all material over a predetermined weight from reaching the conveyor, said severing means comprising a mechanism for directing a stream of fluid under pressure against the falling column, and means controlled by the scale in response to said predetermined weight for cutting off the feed to the conveyor and turning on the said mechanism.

8. A packaging machine for filling bags comprising bag holding means, a conveyor positioned to discharge material into the bag on the bag holding means, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, holding means and bag, means for feeding material by gravity to the conveyor, means positioned adjacent the column of material falling to the conveyor for severing the falling column and preventing all material over a predetermined weight from reaching the conveyor, said severing means comprising a mechanism for directing a jet of air under pressure against the said column, and means controlled by the scale in response to said predetermined weight for cutting off the feed to the conveyor and turning on the said mechanism.

9. A packaging machine for filling bags comprising bag holding means, a conveyor positioned to discharge material into the bag on the bag holding means, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, holding means and bag, means for feeding material to the conveyor, a jet mecha-.

nism :positioned between'the conveyor feeding means and the conveyor and adapted to direct a stream of fluid under. pressure against the column sponse to said predetermined weight forucutting offlthe feed to the conveyor and turning on the jet mechanism;

10. v A packaging machine for filling bags comprising bag holding means, a hopper for feeding material into the: bag. on the'bag'holding means,- a conveyor positioned to discharge material into:

the-hopper, a weighing scale carrying the conveyor, hopper, holding means andbagmeans for feeding materialto the conveyor, a jet mechanism positioned between the-conveyor feedingmeans and theiconveyor and adapted to direct a stream of fluid under pressure against the column of material feeding to the conveyor for severing said .column. and: preventing all material over 'a predetermined weight'from reaching the conjet mechanism.

11. A packagingmachine for-filling: bags com-' prisingbag holding means, ahopper for ie'eding material into a-bag on'the bag holding means,--a

conveyor positioned; to dischargematerial into theahopper, a weighing'scale-carrying the conveyor, hopper holding meansandbag, means for feedinglmaterial tothe conveyor, .meansacona trolled by the scale in response :to rsaidv :predetermined: weightfor cutting off the'zfeed to the conveyor, a. jetmechanism--.positioned adjacent the column of material falling to ..the .conveyor and adapted to direct a stream of fluid under pressure against the falling column for severing 6 said. column and preventing the-material from reaching the conveyor,:a tension member mounted: A on the bag holdingmeans and cooperating with the bag on the bag holding. means, means.actu-- ated by the pressureof the bag against the tension member to turn off jet mechanism if a bag is exerting pressure against the tension member; ROBERT E. READ. References Cited in the, file of this patent 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 350,816 Dehekker Oct. 12, 1886 607,469 Richards July 19, 1898 643,102 Bates vFeb. 13, 1900 1,646,817 Gordon .Oct. 25, 1927 1,766,444 Marsh June 24, 1930 1,913,868 Andreas June 13, 1933 1,964,935. Dorrington .July 3, 1934 2,031,708 Hannewald at al Feb. 25, 1936 2,181,756 Cook ,Nov.28, 1939 2,207,335v Howard July 16, 1940 2,467,766. McCaslin Apr. 19, 1949 Y 2,592,074 Slusher Apr. 8, 1952 

